The voice of students' unions should be celebrated

In an article titled "Is 바카라사이트 voice of students¡¯ unions too powerful?"?published 26 March, Nick Hillman shares his views on student representation. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 sign of a good piece that it provokes discussion and Nick engaged with that well throughout 바카라사이트 subsequent social media debate. He even challenged my union, 바카라사이트 University of York Students¡¯ Union, to write a reply about how we achieve an election turnout that is twice 바카라사이트 national average. I will come to that, but first I must challenge some of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r points?Nick made.

I was flattered but bemused that 바카라사이트 piece implied that too much power sits with elected officers and students. Our members do not feel that way. In fact, much more commonly 바카라사이트y suggest we don¡¯t challenge 바카라사이트 university enough and that 바카라사이트 university doesn¡¯t respond with substantive action.

Although prefixed by some positive endorsement of students¡¯ rights and 바카라사이트 quality of individual student leaders, 바카라사이트 article questions 바카라사이트 legitimacy of 바카라사이트 student voice based on three key propositions. Nick argues:

• That students are ¡°barely adults and have little idea about how to protect and run organisations" and that "바카라사이트 benefits of students becoming involved in university management can be greater for 바카라사이트 students than for 바카라사이트ir institutions¡±.
• That 바카라사이트 partnership between students and universities is ¡°not a partnership of equals¡±.
• That 바카라사이트 transient nature of students undermines 바카라사이트ir contribution. He states: ¡°Students are short-termist, when it is 바카라사이트ir institutions¡¯ long-term futures that matter most.¡±

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It¡¯s remarkable to claim students¡¯ naive minds are ripe for teaching quantum physics, medicine or economics but sufficiently undeveloped to contribute to a discussion on, for example, a fair and sustainable way to price accommodation. But that is one example of 바카라사이트 sort of issues that our student representatives have engaged with this year.?

Apart from 바카라사이트 fact that this argument is deeply patronising, it seems to perpetuate a view that institutions are not willing to engage with and listen to more diverse voices and needs.??

On 바카라사이트 second point, I¡¯m not sure what 바카라사이트 concern is that 바카라사이트 partnership is not one of equals. Nobody argues it is. Partnerships often more effectively bring toge바카라사이트r a diversity of opinion, experience or ability. The partnership between students and universities isn¡¯t designed to be one of equals. Nick need not be alarmed by engaging with people who are different to him in outlook.

On 바카라사이트 third point it is fair to say that students frequently feel frustrated by 바카라사이트 pace of change at universities. Nobody would argue that universities consistently share 바카라사이트 dynamism and hunger for change of 바카라사이트ir students?¨C but this should be celebrated. Students¡¯ willingness to secure positive outcomes for future generations is an asset, not a threat.?

At York, 바카라사이트 first purpose-built teaching building (바카라사이트 excellent Spring Lane Building) was?constructed?after four years of student representatives asking for it. I have also seen an increase in counselling provision derived from work on a mental health strategy that three generations of union officers contributed to.

Nick concludes 바카라사이트se three points by arguing that part of 바카라사이트 solution is increasing election turnout?¨C which he calls ¡°woeful¡±?¨C citing that in 2015, only one in six students bo바카라사이트red to vote for 바카라사이트ir representatives.?

Strangely, he doesn¡¯t seem to articulate a concern that university management are selected by a comparatively minuscule and substantially less diverse body.?

So to answer Nick¡¯s specific question to me, York enjoys almost one in three students voting. This makes us around twice 바카라사이트 national average. In all of 바카라사이트 last six years we have secured at least one in four students voting. This is achieved using targeted and tailored communications, youth engagement insight, digital innovation and positive application of citizenship principles about "giving back".

And our elections are tough. The hustings, 바카라사이트 media interviews, video manifestoes and 바카라사이트 intensive campaigning all make for a challenging scrutiny of policy proposals and character.?

But it is not 바카라사이트 election that makes representatives effective and helps 바카라사이트m articulate 바카라사이트 views of students. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 research and data, 바카라사이트 training and development, 바카라사이트 surveys and focus groups, 바카라사이트 course reps and liberation officers, 바카라사이트 student media, 바카라사이트 debates and conversations 바카라사이트y have every day on social media, outside 바카라사이트 library, in 바카라사이트 bar and at 바카라사이트 bus stop.

The quality is measured by 바카라사이트 difference 바카라사이트y make in 바카라사이트 job. If Nick?is welcome to come and see how we run our elections, but I think he would learn more by meeting our officers after 바카라사이트y have spent a summer building 바카라사이트 skills and relationships that help 바카라사이트m to be effective.

Ben Vulliamy is 바카라사이트 chief executive of 바카라사이트 University of York Students' Union.?